Interactive video ads reach tipping point

Taptica’s newly acquired Tremor Video DSP recently partnered with MAGNA and IPG Media Lab to conduct a scientific media trial exploring the impact of interactive video ads across smartphones, tablets and PCs. The report, The Interactive Effect: A Key to Surviving the Attention Economy in a Mobile-First World, concluded that regardless of whether consumers interact or not, the potential to do so makes them 32% more memorable than non-interactive ads.

When they do engage, brands stand to triple their time spent with consumers: a 15-second interactive ad turns into 45 seconds’ worth of consumer time when they engage.

And, perhaps most notable, is that these figures remain consistent across gender and age demographics, along with industry verticals.

“The results of this media trial truly showcased the potential and versatility of interactive video ads across platforms, and especially on mobile,” said Kara Manatt, SVP, Intelligence Solutions Strategy at MAGNA. “It’s clear that the ability to interact with an ad will drive higher levels of consumer engagement and purchase intent, but just as important, this offering enables brands to spend more time with consumers. And we all know how difficult that is to do these is these days.”

The research also has strong positive implications in other realms of a campaign’s financial and performance metrics, including cost. Interactive ads are more cost-efficient, with investments going 52% further when accounting for their impact on persuasion.

“Such attention metrics are normally reserved for the viewing of television advertisements, and contradict the prevailing conventional wisdom that shorter is better for capturing consumers’ attention,” Ariane Gut, VP, head of insights analytics of Tremor Video DSP.